A lifetime's journey to be honest, open-minded and willing

Day: December 2, 2008

1 December 2008: A new month – and the end of one BIG chapter in my life. This is an interlude to the final (I think) post of my “KL Rocks!” series of posts about my trip to Kuala Lumpur on 19 Nov. I just have to mention this because of its significance – today is the LAST time that I have to report at the police-station. It was Number 24 of 24.

Yes, that pesky once-a-month “sign balai” reporting that is one of the SEVEN orders that I had received from the Pasir Mas Magistrate Court on 31 October 2005.

It had all started after I was detained at around 9AM on Thursday, 11 August 2005 when I entered an acquaintance’s house at Kubang Bemban, Pasir Mas in search of morphine.

Unknown to me, it was then being ransacked by four policemen (and one woman) who had entered from behind. A preliminary urine drug test done at the district police-station turned up positive results for morphine and methamphetamine (pil kuda) – substances that I had consumed a couple of days previously by intravenous means. Pending confirmation of the urine results, I was sent to be remanded at the Pengkalan Chepa Prison for almost three months before the court decision was finally made. Here’s what the orders say: (would be great to have access to a scanner)

Well, that was it. This is the standard form that is used throughout Malaysia where only the entries in bold differ.

So, had it been followed 100%, I would only have been discharged (not “freed” as with “convicts/criminal cases”) on 30 October 2007. Thankfully, the people who had drafted this act (Drug Dependants Act) had also given power to the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Director-General under sub-section 12(1) to shorten the “treatment and rehabilitation in Pusat” period as he deems fit. Most of the inmates would be released/discharged within 16 months or less.

However, those who had committed “serious offences” while in Pusat (rioting especially) – and who were usually transferred to the Tegar Pusat which is located inside the Kajang Prison (but run by the AADK, not prison warders) – would have to do the full stretch.

[By the way, please don’t get me started by coming up with a statement like “A longer treatment and rehabilitation period ensures BETTER RESULTS” … like “The success rate would double if the period is doubled – 2 years to 4 years”. Should anyone ever come up with this statement, I’ll TRY to be polite and not call him “STUPID FOOL AND SIMPLETON“. Even if he holds a PhD from Oxford University]

Anyway, I found myself back at this very place in Pasir Mas where I’m typing now at around 11.30 PM on 18 December 2006; for I was given something that each and every inmate in every Pusat Serenti look forward to – this “Watikah” (Charter? – have to invest in an English-Malay dictionary):

BORANG 15 Serial Number ADK/15: 020041 Dated 12/12/06 and signed and rubber-stamped by: IZHAR BIN ABU TALIB; Ketua Penolong Pengarah (Institusi), Agensi Antidadah Kebangsaan, Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negerithat shortened the original order – dari 31/10/05 hingga 18.12.2006 [typed exactly as seen – the first date was printed by computer while the second is in blue ball-point pen]

THANKS Tuan Izhar, whoever you are!

**Footnote: If I am not mistaken, those contravening the (a) order – by running away – are subject to a maximum three years prison and three strokes of the rotan. For contravening any of (b) i to vi, it is three years and two strokes. Well, looks like I had managed to save myself from these. On 18 Dec I will be going to the Pasir Mas district AADK and get my “confirmation of having adhered to court order” certification. That will bring this very important chapter of my life to an official end; and open a new one.

**Footnote Number Two: To Mat Salo, Elviza and Mohd Zawi – You folks have been up to something, haven’t you?:-) I have been getting `strange’ comments and signals the past couple of days…